Ann: Agreements signed to fast track Townsville Battery Plant, page-46

Not many start-ups have a (re)signing ceremony to celebrate 12 month funding delays.
A startup that's hoping to compete from scratch with billion dollar battery giants.
Meanwhile, established companies pushing forward, picking up huge orders from world's largest car manufacturers.


CATL from VW, Daimler, Nissan & Renault:
https://www.electrive.com/2018/03/08/volkswagen-bets-batteries-supplied-catl/
https://www.electrive.com/2018/05/02/daimler-to-buy-its-ev-batteries-from-catl/
https://www.electrive.com/2018/05/12/catl-to-deliver-cells-for-nissan-and-renault/

Samsung from VW, SK Innovation from Mercedes & LG Chem from VW and Mahindra in India:
https://www.electrive.com/2018/03/16/volkswagen-partners-up-with-korean-battery-manufacturers/
https://www.electrive.com/2018/02/27/mahindra-ssangyong-use-lg-battery-technology/
http://www.futurecar.com/1721/SK-Innovation-to-Build-EV-Battery-Plant-in-Hungary

LG Chem battery division generated $4.1 Billion in sales last year, involving fiercely competitive pricing to attract new business: http://www.businesskorea.co.kr/news/articleView.html?idxno=21085
"Companies which won orders from Volkswagen know that it will be inevitable for them to record loss due to initial investment such as the expansion of plants... A rumor is going around that Volkswagen requested that the battery supply price be pulled down to US$ 100 or less per 1kwh lower than the unit price of batteries supplied to General Motors," said a battery industry official.

Tesla announced yesterday they were close to reaching the "holy grail" of battery cell cost: less than 100 USD/kWh. https://www.electrive.com/2018/06/06/tesla-board-to-remain-china-factory-to-come-video/
Panasonic cells have "the highest energy density ever used in an electric car" while maintaining "superior thermal stability".

It's a fast moving, highly capital intensive & competitive industry ur dabbling in, with short term profitability sacrificed for market share. That global context makes talk of a local council employing 1 extra body to get funding study moving a little comical.

Only a faith based company would attempt it.
Which is why I was disappointed Chuck Stetson not on the team.